G'day. It's Digby Rayward here, and happy to present this week's Council Happenings.
It certainly looks like we're in for a bit more wet weather. It's raining here now, or it's just eased off. But it looks like it will come for a few more days. However, it is what it is, we're getting used to it.
On Tuesday, 5 August, even if it's pouring with rain, there'll be an annual flood warning system test near Alison Court. There will be short siren bursts for up to 40 seconds. But don't panic and rush out and put your life vests on. It's a test! It's absolutely mandatory that we do it, so that's what's happening there.
We've been lucky, we've had a little bit of dry weather for our road crews to get on the job, and they've been very active. In a short space there's a lot of work and infrastructure work happening. And we know that wet weather and water are not friends for roads and create potholes and things, but the guys are doing a great job, and so are the contractors! That bit of Clarence Town Road, just before Dungog, they're doing a fantastic job there.
Progress is going strong at Clarence Town Bridge. The people who live there know that rock pickers definitely hit hard rock! But they'll get there in the end. There have been some substantial concrete pours on the other side, so we're not sitting back while the rock picker does its job. There's plenty of work being done on the other side.
For the people in Gresford, the Suspension Bridge, I know it's been in the background for a while, but that's starting to move. The funding is secured, and we're in a development phase for that bridge, and soon we'll be advertising for our construction tenders. So I know for those on the other side of the bridge and for us it hasn't been easy. And in the water, where the crossing is, has been damaged by floods as well. So anyway, we're working through all those issues and we are getting progress. So that's good.
Now, just moving away from infrastructure and roads. The popular tube stock tree giveaway is available from Council again this year. Trees are available from Tuesday, 5 August. You can pick up the trees from the Clarence Town Post Office, the Dungog Council office, and Riverdene Nursery at East Gresford. Stocks are limited. Community groups and schools can also get up to 25 bush tucker or native trees from Riverdene Nursery, but you'll need to pick up a voucher from Council. So many times, people have told me, it's an old saying, that the best time to plant a tree is 25 years ago. So get a tree and get it in the ground.
The survey has closed for the viewing platform project, and I've been told that quite a few good suggestions came in there. We look forward to the collated results of that. We know we've got some fantastic views right across our Shire. We talk about the horseshoe loop for tourists. If they come up through Paterson, Vacy, Gresford, across Bingleburra, Dungog, Clarence Town. You go across Bingleburra, and there are some magnificent views up towards Barrington. So, the first thing is to identify one or two sites as probable goals, and then we have to get the funding to finance that. But that's the challenge for us, and we are all up to it. I think it's going to be great!
It's also pleasing to see nbn doing a lot of work around town, if you've seen their guys digging holes and putting cables and everything in. There's nearly 1000 premises connected to the full Fibre Internet, and this will result in faster, more reliable internet and the ability to do more. nbn is working on fixed wireless upgrades to reduce congestion, boost coverage, and deliver faster speeds, especially for busier times. So that's great news indeed.
A quick update on the Chichester Dam area. We know that in the floods we've had, we've been on amber alert in Chichester, and it's been a bit untidy, from my point of view, and others ' on how the message was conducted. So, following meetings with the police, the SES, Council, and Hunter Water, flood planning and information sessions are to be organised soon to improve this communication for future flood events. It's been a long time coming. I've spoken to Hunter Water about it, as well as others, so that's good news for the residents up there as well.
A couple of other quick mentions, it's been a busy week or two. The Doug Walters Statue unveiling had a great turnout, and the Council was happy to support the concrete base and the site, with the statue itself being covered by Doug Walter supporters. Doug and his parents were locals and he went to school in Dungog. He returns with his mates twice yearly to ensure they invest in Dungog. He hasn't forgotten his origins. It was a good opening.
Also, congratulations to Dungog Rotary, which celebrated its 75th anniversary. Unfortunately, I couldn't make it as I was unwell, but it was a great effort by those Rotarians. Our Shire depends on the activities of all these volunteers, and Rotary is one of them, along with many, many others. So well done to you, and we look forward to supporting you as much as we can from a council point of view.
Finally, we've been talking a lot about the Housing and Infrastructure Master Plan. Council received about $1.8 million to invest in planning for growth over the next 20 years, to determine what Dungog Shire will look like, where buildings should go, where the infrastructure is going, what the Rural Land Strategy will look like? All these important things. The first stage is a consultation and visionary stage, and that's about to come to an end. The last meetings will be on this Sunday, 3 August. They're both at the lower end, one at Vacy and one at Paterson. The Vacy meeting is at the School of Arts from 10am to 12pm, and the Paterson one is from 3-5pm at the Paterson School of Arts.
So, if you can get there, listen and see what's going on. If you can't, you can go to Council's website, where there's a form that you can fill in. This is only the first stage. The second stage, the next stages, and the Rural Land Strategy will all follow on from this. So we will keep you up to speed with what's happening.
One final thing I'll just bring up is the Community Builders Group that's been going for a few years now. They recently organised a Youth Forum at the RSL to discuss what we can do for the youth. I was pleased to see four Councillors attend. Alexandria, Fred, Liam and myself. Hearing some of the young kids and what they're doing was interesting. There are opportunities, not only in sports and families coming together, but we'll see how that discussion goes. It's a long project for us, and we know there's been some issues with the youth, but Council is certainly happy to facilitate whatever we can. And I think it was a good initiative from the Community Builders, and we're happy to support it where we can.
Anyway, that's enough from me for the week. I'm always happy to chat with you, so till next time, I'll catch you then. Cheers.
